Problem Gambling Severity Index Uk
This self-assessment is known as the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). The PGSI is a reliable and standardised measure of at risk behaviour in problem gambling. Problem/Pathological Gambling Problem Gambling Severity Index The PGSI is a 9-item self-report tool that measures gambling problem severity (Ferris and Wynne 2001). The scale assesses problematic gambling behaviour alongside interrelated adverse consequences and harms. The items are scored from 0 to 3 (0=never, 1=sometimes, 2=most of the time. Measures Problem/Pathological Gambling Problem Gambling Severity IndexThe PGSI is a 9-item self-report tool that measures gambling problem severity (Ferris and Wynne 2001). The scale assesses problematic gambling behaviour alongside interrelated adverse consequences and harms. Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) The study utilised the full (9-item) Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to measure levels of gambling behaviour which may cause harm to the gambler. The PGSI3consists of nine items ranging from ‘chasing losses’ to ‘gambling causing health problems’ to ‘feeling guilty about gambling’. According to the Gambling Commission, around 55,000 young people aged 11-16 across the UK could already be classified as problem gamblers, with a further 70,000 deemed to be at risk.
- Problem Gambling Severity Index Uk 2020
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The survey of 12,161 participants was carried out first between 24 September and 13 October
2019 using YouGov’s online research panel and weighted by UK demographic data, with a recontact survey conducted in May, of which 9,067 respondents from Phase 1 took part.
The survey used the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to measure problem gambling. This index consists of a series of questions about gambling-related thoughts and habits, with respondents answering 1-2 affirmatively considered at low risk of gambling-related harm, 3-7 considered at medium risk and 8 or more considered at high risk of gambling problems.
Overall, gambling participation fell significantly from 49% in October 2019 to 39% in May 2020.
Only 4% of respondents to the survey said they gambled more during lockdown than before, while 41% said they gambled less and 52% said their gambling levels were roughly unchanged.
Players who were classed as at risk of problem gambling or as problem gamblers in May were more likely to have gambled more than non-problem players.
For those who showed low risks, 9% gambled more and 50% gambled less, while for medium-risk players, 12% gambled more and 46% less.
Among those who scored at least 8 on the PGSI, more still decreased gambling than increased, but the difference was much closer, with 20% gambling more and 27% gambling less, while 47% gambled about the same amount.
Problem Gambling Severity Index Uk 2020
In terms of gambling spend, the results were similar, with 41% spending less and 51% spending about the same amount during lockdown, compared to 3% spending more. Again, those who reported signs gambling problems in May were more likely to have increased spend than those who did not, but among all groups, more decreased their spend than increased.
The amount of at-risk gamblers also decreased. Those who were classed as at low or medium risk dipped from 10% to 9% while those classed as at high risk declined from 3% to 2%, while those who gambled but showed no risks also declined, from 48% to 46% as non-gamblers grew.
Of those who were classed as non-gamblers in October 2019, 86% remained in that category in May and 12% gambled but showed no risks, while 1% became low-risk and another 1% medium-risk.
Among those with no risks before lockdown, a combined 94% were either non-gamblers or at no risk in May 2020. A further 5% were low-risk and 1% medium-risk. For October 2019 low-risk gamblers, 61% became either non-risk or non-gamblers, 29% remained low-risk, 9% became medium risk and 1% high-risk.
For those showing medium risks in the first survey, 32% became either non-gamblers or did not show risks of harm, while 20% declined to low-risk, 40% remained medium-risk and 8% saw their risks of harm increase to high.
For those classed as problem gamblers in the original survey, 17% stopped gambling entirely or showed no risks in May 2020, while 23% declined to low or medium-risk and 60% remained problem gamblers.
When breaking down the data by type of gambling, National Lottery draws remained by far the most popular form, but the percentage of people who played these declined from 36% to just 27%. Scratchcards, which had been the second most popular form of game, declined from 10% to 7%, while other lotteries such as charity lotteries held steady at 9%, moving into the second spot.
Online football betting saw a sharp decrease in number of people betting, from 6% of the sample to 3%, while online racing betting fell from 3% to 1% and other online sports betting fell from 2% to 1%. Retail betting on each category fell from 1% of the sample to 0% with the closure of retail venues.
Online casino was the only vertical to see an increase in play, from 1.5% to 2.3%. However, this increase was still less than the decline in online sports betting, meaning overall online non-lottery gambling was down.
YouGov said that while it may not be possible to definitively link the decline in gambling to lockdown, it is “reasonable to conclude that some of the changes observed are the direct result” of the pandemic and lockdown. It added that repeating the study again could create interesting findings about the effects of easing lockdown measures.
The study fits with YouGov studies commissioned by the Gambling Commission, which also found declines in play in April and May before activity increased slightly as restrictions were loosened.
The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is the standardised measure of at risk behaviour in problem gambling. It is a tool based on research on the common signs and consequences of problematic gambling. Assessing where your client is now can help you make informed decisions on how to assist them.
- How does it work?
The PGSI quiz asks participants to self-assess their gambling behaviour over the past 12 months by scoring themselves against nine questions. The response options attract the following scores:
- never (score: 0)
- rarely (score: 1)
- sometimes (score: 1)
- often (score: 2)
- always (score: 3)
- The categories are:
- non-problem gambler
- low-risk gambler
- moderate-risk gambler
- problem gambler.
It is important to note that categorisation through the PGSI is not the same as clinical diagnosis, which requires assessment by a clinician.
Screens similar to the PGSI are also used to investigate other health issues, such as alcoholism and anxiety.
- What do the categories mean?
Non-problem gambler - Score: 0
- Non-problem gamblers gamble with no negative consequences.
Low-risk gambler - Score: 1–2
- Low-risk gamblers experience a low level of problems with few or no identified negative consequences. For example, they may very occasionally spend over their limit or feel guilty about their gambling.
Moderate-risk gambler - Score: 3–7
- Moderate-risk gamblers experience a moderate level of problems leading to some negative consequences. For example, they may sometimes spend more than they can afford, lose track of time or feel guilty about their gambling.
Problem gambler - Score: 8 or above
- Problem gamblers gamble with negative consequences and a possible loss of control. For example, they may often spend over their limit, gamble to win back money and feel stressed about their gambling.
Take your client through the PGSI quiz
You experience few, if any issues with your gambling.
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You could be starting to experience some issues with your gambling.
Problem Gambling Severity Index Pgsi
You are experiencing issues with your gambling on a regular basis and it’s time to take action.